The Forbidden Forest
by Uke-Kaoru
Summary: This was for an English GCSE and it got an A and its isn't finish. Its about a girl who will be me who has tough choices to make and she doesn't know what to do. I will introduce other characters later


**THE FORBIDDEN FOREST**

Chapter One 

There once was a girl who lived in a distant place of many wonders. Her name was Ano Sora, which meant 'blue sky'. Ano was the fairest of the feudal lord's daughters. Her hair was as long as the length of her arm and as black as the starless night. Her hair was as soft as the silk of her fine kimono. Her skin looked like the rarest porcelain, her cheeks powdered to a rosy colour, as her skin has always been a milky colour unlike her sister. Her eyes were the colour of the precious jade. Her body was slim and she was always noticed by the boys in the village where she went for her daily walks

One day Ano was walking in the village, where she spent most of her time while she's not busy. She noticed someone called her over to an ally with a wave of a hand. Ano notice that it was a ninja and the ninja had a kunai pouch on their right thigh; she knew this from the many painting she had seen when she was younger. They were normally of fights between ninjas and samurai. She slowly walked to the ninja, thinking that the ninja would be a male but soon realised it was a female ninja. She was a fairly young ninja, with her dirty brown hair cut short, so it won't get in her hazel eyes when she's fighting. But she has a battle scar going across the bridge of her nose, like she had come too close to the enemies' kunai.

"I have heard that you wish to train in the arts of ninjitsu, am I right?" inquired the ninja.

"Yes, but how did you know that?" gasped Ano wondering if the ninja knew anymore things about her.

"I know many things about you, but at this time that is irrelevant. If you truly want to learn the art of ninjitsu, you will have to leave your home, family and everything that you hold dear to you...But you may take only one item or belonging with you..." the ninja said rather firmly but soft, so that no-passer by would suspected anything. Ano nodded in reply. "... But you will have to go to the forbidden forest to beginning your training." added the ninja

"B-but that place is f-forbidden." Stuttered Ano, but the ninja had already left her, as if she had never been there.

Ano returned to the royal palace after finishing her walk. Tanaka, her older brother and the next feudal lord, when their father died, was waiting for her by the entrance of the castle and by the look on his face he was not happy. "Where have you been? Mother has been looking for you for hours..." Ano bowed her head as was only right, but also to hide the smile that passed over her face.

"Forgive me brother, I meant no disrespect to our mother, I was just looking for some new brushes for my calligraphy lesson with Osaku San." Tanaka looked at her with a strange look, but accepted her explanation, be gone with you then he said and do not keep mother waiting any longer.

Ano rushed quickly through the maze of passages, which made up the interior of the castle, to her mothers chambers pausing only to regain her composure at the entrance to the outer room.

"Enter, youngest daughter" came from beyond the painted rice paper door, slipping the catch, Ano slid the door open only enough for her slender form to slip through. Ano bowed respectfully, and then knelt before her mother.

"Youngest daughter, did your walk bear fruit, did you find what you where looking for?" inquired Anos mother.

"Yes, mother, indeed I did find what I have been searching for." Ano answered. Ano thought, did mother know about the ninja? Does her mother want her to follow her heart? Ano knew that mother has never been outside the castle walls, apart from when she was younger, also when the family go for walks into the gardens of the feudal lords. So she couldn't have sent the ninja. "Dearest daughter." Ano looked up at her mother.

"I need to give you something that has been in our family for generations. It is very important that you keep it with you at all times; never take it off, never put it down and one very important thing. Please, Ano, never lose it" Anos mother said almost without give Ano time to understand it fully. Taking a necklace from around her neck, Anos mother placed the necklace, which had a tag with the kanji that meant destiny on it, to Ano, closing her hands over it. "Ano, please keep it safe. It is the only thing that my father gave to me before he died several years ago...." Anos mother paused a second.

"..And don't let its fall into the wrong hands." Reinforcing what she said just a few moments ago about the necklace, not wanting Ano to forget that the necklace was really special to her. Ano said good night to her mother, sneaked off to the kitchen to get something to nibble on and then hurried to her room.

Ano put the necklace around her slender neck and examined it, to see that the necklace had a sliver tag. The tag hung from the golden chain that made up the rest of the necklace. Sitting on her bed, Ano thought about what would happen if she did decide to the forbidden forest to training to become a master in ninjutsu and what the advantages and disadvantages would be. If she left she would be able to become a ninja but if her father found out she would be disowned by him. She needed guidance to make the right choice, so she decided that tomorrow she would go to see the head servant to seek advice on what do to.

She woke the next morning from a somewhat restless sleep. She slipped from under the silk covers to the clothes set aside by one of the servants. She noticed that they forgot her ribbon, that had always brought her good luck, but she got dress anyway into her kimono and tied her silken obo around her waist. Ano rang the bell for one of the servants to come to her room. Within minutes one of the elderly servants enter and knelt before Ano "What is wrong, young mistress?" the servant asked. "Do you know where my lucky ribbon is? I always wear it everyday but it isn't here today." questioned Ano. "I will find it for you, young mistress." the servant answered, bowing to Ano before leaving to find her lucky ribbon. While waiting for the servant to return, Ano took the necklace from around her neck and carefully inspects the jade stone, watching it sparkle in the golden sun rays that shine through paper windows. About ten minutes later after the servant was sent to find the ribbon, a call from the door wishing to come in, Ano then answer the a yes and from behind the beaded curtain that separated the main room from the entrance came the elderly servant that was sent to find the ribbon, came and knelt before Ano with the ribbon in her hand. "I have found your ribbon, young mistress." The servant said, a bit out of breath. "Thank you, thank you so much." The servant bowed her head and retreated from her room.

Ano could finally tie her long black hair into a bun and she set off to find the head servant who would most likely be in the servants quarters preparing the daily jobs and chores for the other servants. As Ano reached the paper doors, she heard talking behind the doors. It was the head servant and the other person sound like her mother, but she couldn't understand what they was saying, as they where speaking in code. When they finished talking, Ano hide behind the pillar beside the door and stayed as still as she could, waiting for who was in the room to leave.

"Remember to lead her to deciding on going to the forbidden forest" said her mother. Ano gasped as she had just found out that her mother sent the ninja to Ano in the ally the morning before. Her mother walk down the hall, pausing before turning the corner, as if she knew that Ano was there.

Ano slipped from behind the pillar and stood in front the paper door once more. "Mama san, may I enter?" Ano called from outside the paper panels. "Yes, little Miss, you are always welcome to come in here." said the head servant, like a mother talking to a daughter. Ano flipped the catch and slid the door open to slip her slim body through the door. Head servant was sitting on one the beds, she waved Ano to come and sit beside her. Ano accepted to sit beside her. "Mama san, I need your council." Ano asked "How may I be of help, little miss?" Mama san inquired. "I need your council to decide on what I should do, as I have been given the opportunity that I have been waiting for such a long time." Ano said in confidence. "Well if you have been waiting for such a long time for this to happen, then you should take it and never look back, as that is when you think about all the things that might happen to you if you turn back. So follow your heart and mind and take this opportunity with all your hopes and dreams, little Miss." Mama san said like she knew where she was going. Ano hugged Mama san. "Thank you for your council, Mama san." "It is always a pleasure to talk with you, my precious jade stone" Mama san said using her nickname for Ano. Ano smiles sweetly and exited the servants' room and went to the entrance of the castle to put on her geta so she can head out to the village for a much more energetic walk.


End file.
